Materials Science

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers develop and support others
in developing materials for use in concentrating solar power (CSP). These materials
include higher-reflectivity mirrors, better thermal-absorbing receivers, and more
corrosion-resistant materials. Researchers also test the durability of these materials.
Researchers also test the chemical durability of corrosion-resistant materials and the durability of optical materials.

NREL researchers are working to understand the fundamental corrosion mechanisms of
materials when exposed to high-temperature fluids.

In the Storage Process and Components Lab, the performance of storage fluids and systems
can be determined up to 800 °C.

Advanced Thermal Storage Materials Laboratory

Our Thermal Storage Materials Laboratory supports NREL's research and development
of advanced transfer fluids for next-generation CSP systems. Our goal is to identify
fluids with thermal and oxidative stabilities that can withstand extreme operating
conditions, such as temperatures up to 800 ºC, and that can function as advanced thermal
storage media. However, at these extreme operating temperatures, these fluids can
be very corrosive and can damage tanks and piping. So, we are also evaluating the
corrosion and degradation stability of containment materials in those fluids.

To develop these heat-transfer fluids, we use a synthetic chemistry laboratory that
combines a work area for basic wet chemistry with extensive thermal and spectroscopic
analysis capabilities. We can synthesize fluids in gram quantities and immediately
evaluate their thermal behavior.